Coastal Zone Management Project going green

BHUBANESWAR: The Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) of Odisha is set to embrace low carbon strategies through its project components in the State. The ICZMP has set off on a series of plans for reduction of carbon footprints while putting in place infrastructure across the State. It has already initiated talks with partners for US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification for green buildings and de-salination through a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed low-on-energy technology. The Rs 227-crore World Bank-funded project, which entails inter-sectoral activities, is also planning implementation of hybridised renewable energy generation as well as water recycling in the structures. The project is currently in consultation with a host of institutions which either have developed the technologies or share the know-how. It is for the first time that any of the ICZM Projects in India has backed LEED certification of green buildings at eco-sensitive areas, something unfamiliar to architects, builders and planning engineers in the State too. According to A.Senthil Vel, National Project Director of ICZMP, the LEED certifications would have great environmental impact in the eco-sensitive area and it can be something the National Project Management Unit of ICZMP can adopt nationally.  As part of the plan, the Orissa Pollution Control Board laboratory coming up at Paradip and the existing laboratory of Chilika Development Authority would be considered for LEEDS certification. Similarly, the ICZMP is also planning the de-salination pilot project at Kanas block of Puri where the low energy technology will be put to test for free. The green structures at eco-sensitive sites and other locations would not only conserve huge amount of resources but also minimise human footprints, Project Director of ICZMP, Odisha, Ajit Kumar Pattnaik said. The ICZMP held consultations with a team of experts from International Science and Technology Consortium of the USA, MIT of the USA, Fentress Architects of the USA, RJC Consulting Engineers of Canada, Luminous Renewable Energy Solutions and Luminous Water Technologies of the USA which also visited the sites proposed for the monitoring laboratory at Paradip, eco-tourism sites and existing building of Tourism and Forest departments. The team will give a report on sustainable design, implementation and management of the existing and development of new green building structures shortly.